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As another user pointed out, Democracy is already "mob rule" and nothing will stop the Collins campaign and conservative media from repeating the allegations against him. And nothing will stop hesitant voters from changing their minds when they hear about it. This isn't a criminal court, this is an election. If you want to talk about "proper procedure" in the court of public opinion, then it should go both ways and the politico article should not have even been allowed.
It's like my government mandated friend issue, there is a fundamental different between the government organization and the private citizen/organization. The government can not (or at least should not) arrest you for the content of your speech, meanwhile I can kick you out of my house for any reason I want. In the same way the government shouldn't jail someone without due process and high standards of evidence, but I am free to judge you off whatever standard I please, including explicitly unfair and biased ones.
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